A Delta-born investigative journalist, Tega Oghenedoro, popularly known as Fejiro Oliver, has filled a N1billion lawsuit against the state governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, Senator representing Delta Central senatorial district, Ede Dafinone and Executive Director, Business Development of the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), Stella Okotete, at the federal court, Asaba.
According to Sahara Reporter, also named in the suit challenging the enforcement of his fundamental rights to dignity of the human person, personal liberty, privacy and freedom of movement, are the Inspector General of Police, Delta State commissioner of police, Deputy commissioner of police in charge of State Criminal Investigation Department, (SCID), DCP Adegoke Alani and CSP Solomon Nwokolo of the state police command.
Operatives of the Force Intelligence Department (FID), had on September 19, 2025 arrested Fejiro, on the orders of the state governor, Sheriff Oborevwori.
He was picked up from his office in Garki, Abuja, taken to the Force Intelligence Department (FID), and later moved to the airport for onward transfer to Asaba, the Delta State capital.
Fejiro who is still in police custody at the anti-kidnapping department, Asaba, was on October, 4, 2025 charged to court for allegedly cyberstalking Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and Senator Ede Dafinone through a series of Facebook posts described by the police as “defamatory.”.
A Federal High Court in Asaba, the state capital, had last given the Nigeria Police Force 48 hours to show cause why Fejiro, should not be released unconditionally after spending 16 days in detention on allegations of cyberstalking.
In a suit filed at the Federal High Court, Asaba on behalf of Fejiro by his counsel and human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, Esq. of Inibehe Effiong Chambers, demanded to be paid the sum of N1,000,000,000 as general and exemplary damages to for violating his fundamental rights.
The suit has Tega Samson Oghenedoro (Alias Fejiro Oliver) as applicant and governor of Delta State, Senator Ede Omueya Dafinone, Stella Erhuvwuoghene Okotete, CSP Solomon Nwokolo, DCP Adegoke Alani, Commissioner of Police, Delta State Police Command, Nigeria Police Force and Inspector General of Police served as 1st to 8th respondents.
The suit among other things is praying the court the following reliefs:
“A DECLARATION that the Applicant being a human being and a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is entitled to the enjoyment, protection and enforcement of his Fundamental Rights to dignity of the human person, personal liberty, privacy, and freedom of movement as enshrined in Sections 34, 35, 37, and 41 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
“A DECLARATION that the arrest of the Applicant by the 4th to 8th Respondents on the instigation of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Respondents and any other person, from the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on 18th September, 2025 and his subsequent transfer to Delta State, without first securing and duly registering a valid warrant of arrest in a court of competent jurisdiction in the manner prescribed by law is unlawful and amounts to a gross violation of the Applicant’s Fundamental Right to personal liberty as provided for in Section 35 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) Articles 6 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap. A9 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
“A DECLARATION that the arrest and detention of the Applicant by the 4th to 8th Respondents on the instigation of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Respondents and any other person, from 18th September, 2025, to the time of filing this suit on 30th September, 2025, without taking him before a court of law for arraignment for a known offence, and without any valid order issued by a court of competent jurisdiction in line with due process of law enabling the prolonged detention, is unreasonable, unjustifiable, illegal, unconstitutional and a breach of the Fundamental Right of the Applicant to dignity, personal liberty and freedom of movement as guaranteed by Sections 34, 35 and 41 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and Articles 5, 6 and 12 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap. A9 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
“A DECLARATION that the seizure, searching, and accessing of the contents of the personal mobile phone of the Applicant by the 4rd Respondent, in conceit with other officers and agents of the 5th to 8th Respondents on the instigation of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Respondents, without a lawfully issued warrant authorizing the phone’s seizure and search, is unjustifiable, illegal, unconstitutional and a breach of the Fundamental Right of the Applicant to privacy as guaranteed by Section 37 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended).
“AN ORDER of this Honourable Court directing and compelling the Respondents, jointly and severally, to publish an unreserved written apology to the Applicant in 3 (three) National Newspapers for breaching the Applicant’s fundamental rights.
“AN ORDER of this Honourable Court directing and compelling the Respondents, jointly and severally, to pay the sum of N1,000, 000,000.00 (One Billion Naira) as General and Exemplary damages to the Applicant for violating the Applicant’s Fundamental Rights.
“AN ORDER OF PERPETUAL INJUNCTION restraining the Respondents, jointly and severally, whether by themselves, their agents, departments, employees, operatives, detectives, investigating officers or howsoever or by whatever name called, from further arresting or interfering with the dignity, liberty and other fundamental rights of the Applicant in any manner and such further or other order(s) as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances in favour of the Applicant.”
